Gyratory structure.



G. W. COMES.

GYRATORY STRUCTURE.

APPLIGATIONIILBD MAR.4,1910.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

G. W. COMES.

GYEATORY STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-.4, 1910 1,128,170. Patented 1m29, 1914.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET 2.

. ATTORNEY.

TATES {FAEN- GYRATORY STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

Application filed March 4, 1910. Serial No. 547,348.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE W. CoMs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Leavenworth, in the county of Leavenworth and State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in GyratoryStructures, of which the following is a specification. t

This invention relates to improvements in self-balancing gyratorystructure, such as our sifters, screeners, bolters, sorting machines,etc., and the present invention relates more particularly to means forcontrolling or restraining the structure from abnormal throw.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention: Figure 1is a side elevation partly in section of a sifter structure providedwith my improvements. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of meansfor driving and restraining the structure. Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection on line III-III of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of amodied form of structure and restraining means. and Fig. 5 is anenlarged vertical section of the driving and restraining means shown inFig. 4.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, 1 designates a sifterstructure, suspended by iieXible rods 2, and provided withcentrally-disposed bearings 3 -in which a vertically-positioned shaft 4is j ournaled for actuating said structure. Shaft 4 is provided with twoeccentrically -mounted weights 5, and an eccentric-pin 6, which latterextends downward and is supported by a step-bearing 7 in a lubricantchamber 8. Chamber 8 is normally closed at its upper end by a lid 9movable laterally thereon and provided with a depending integral sleeve10 loosely-embracing pin 6, so that the latter may rotate therein.

11 designatesa driver fixed to pin 6 and driven by an endless belt 12running from said driver over a pair of idlers 13 and downward to astationary pulley 14 fixed to a j ournaled shaft 15. Idlers 13 aremounted upon shafts 16 carried by brackets 17 adjustably-secured tobase-plates 18, provided with set-screws 19 abutting against thebrackets to adjust the latter backward or forward for the purpose oftensioning the endless belt 12, which not only actuates the driver 11but also assists in holding the structure to its true gyratory course.This adjustment of the brackets also permits the eccentricpin 6 to beadjusted centrally within the lubricant chamber. Base-plates 18, also,are provided with set-screws 19b to adjust the brackets laterally.

Belt 12 is assisted in restraining the structure from abnormal throw bycoacting means consisting, preferably, of counterweights 20, and aieXible member 21 attached at one end to lid 9 and at its opposite endto a rod 22 provided at its lower end with a disk 23 upon which thecounterweights 20 are mounted, said counterweights being slotted at 24so that as many as desired may be readily added to said rod, the objectbeing to get substantially the same tension on flexible member 21 as onthe endless belt 12, so that both will act with equal force in oppositedirections upon the structure and thus tend to hold the same in its truegyratory course. Lid 9 has a lug 9a extending downward to a horizontalplane midway between the ends of sleeve 10 so that the pull of member21, which is attached directly to the lug, will not have a tendency totip sleeve 10 and cause it to bear with greater pressure at one end thanthe other upon pin 6.

Member 21 consists preferably of rigid links, yieldingly-connected sothat they may travel freely over a rotary member or sprocket-wheel 25mounted upon a pin 26, extending through a bracket 27, mounted upon abase-plate 27 b provided with setscrews 27, to adjust the bracket 27.

In practice, the two eXible members 12 and 21 pull in oppositedirections to each other, and thus tend to hold pin 6 from lateral ororbital movement, although, said members will yield and permit lateralInovement in any direction should the structure 1, for any reason, leaveits true gyratory course, and consequently no vibration will be impartedto the building containing the structure. Should one of the flexiblemembers in time stretch more than its companion, and thus permit pin 6to be drawn to one side of the lubricant chamber, said pin can bereadily restored to the center of the chamber by proper manipulation ofthe set-screws 19.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the construction andoperation of the parts is the same as that shown in the preferred form,with few exceptions, which will be pointed out in the followingdescription z" 1a designates a four-box sifter structure of the typedisclosed by U. S. Letters Patent l vcarried* by brackets 17 adjustablymounted No. 12,894; (Reissue). Structure la is supported by flexiblerods 2a and provided with centrally-disposed 'bearings '39', 'upon whichra crank-shaftl la is journaled for 'actuating the structure 1a. Thelower end of shaft la 'rests upon a step-bearing 7a ina lubricantchamber8a, normally closed'by a lid 9 to exclude dust therefrom, said lid-having v-an integral sleeve 10a, loosely embracing the lower portion ofshaft .L. 11a designates a driver fixed to the lower vportionof Vshaft4a and driven by an endless flexible member'v'or j belt 12S, runningover idlers 13a to a Vstationar pulley 14a mountedfupona driven shaft21521. Idlers 13aare mounted upon shafts 16a lupon base-plates 18a, vprovided with lsetscrews 19a abutting against the brackets lfo'r thepurpose of adjusting the sameandv the idlers backward or forwardto'tension the :endless member 12a. Base-plates 18a are also -providedwith set-screws 19c `to adjust tension member 20a, said disk beinglocked at any point ofits adjustmentbyjam-nuts 23". The upper end of"memberQOa is seated in 'a cup 20b to prevent lateral movement- 'lthereof. 25a designates an idler'fover'which ,35i

the flexible member 21a operates, said idler being mounted upon a pin26a, carried by a bracket 27%mounted upon a base-plate 27d, providedwith set-screws 27e to adjust 'the bracket 27a. f

As above'described, the construction land operation of the modified formis substantially the same as that of the preferred form, `except thatmember 20a has the additional advantage over member 20 of increasing itsresistance to lateral movement of the shaft la in proportion to theextent of said lateral movement, whereasthe resistan'ceoered by thecounterweights 20 is the vsame irrespective of the extent of .saidllateral movement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is :-k v

1. In combination, a normallygyratable structure, endless means to driveand steady the same, and yielding weighted means c0- acting with thefirst-mentioned means in steadying the structure.

v2.1 In combination,` .a freelysupported structure adapted'to movelaterally in any direction, flexible endless driving means capableoflateralmovement with saidstructure, and constant resisting meansvcoacting with said flexible means to restrain thestructure from abnormallateral movement. 3. In combination, a gyratory structure,

a membercoacting therewith to steady they ,salme comprisingindividually-rigid collectively-yielding means, said member beingweighted Yat one end,and rotary meansy from which said weighted endmovably depends.

4. In combination, a structure, means whereby Vthe same isyieldin'gly-supported for lateral movement in any direction, means vfor:actuating `said structure, a sprocketn chain operatively-connected atone end to the structure, a-c'ounterweightat `the opposite-end ofsaidsprocket-chainto resist abnormal lateral-movement of the'f-structure, yand sprocket-wheel over 'which the sprocket-chain runs.5. In combination, :a rgyra'tory structure,

means =to 'prevent rotation'of lthe same, a

steadying device for said structureembodying weighted flexibleimeansmovable into different horizontal planes,l and .a rotary memberover whichrsaid steadying device travels.

t(13.In combination, a freely-supported structure-havingcentrally-disposed bearings,

a rotary shaft mounted in .said bearings for actuating the structure, yasleeve loosely-ema bracing said shaft, 'and 'weighted lunge restrainingmeans `operati'vely-coacting vwith y7. In combinatioing a structure,means freely-supporting the same,lan eccentrically- 4saidsleeve'tohold.th'e'strueture in its regu- Vlar-Ipath 'of travel. ,j

weighted-'shaft foractuating'said structure, v and flexible weighted`rneans coacting with said shaft Ito steady thestructure when inoperation.

8. In combination, a gyra'tory structure, a shaft'journaled ytherein foractuating the 'sam'e, means vindependent ofthe structure for supporting"the weight of .the shaft, and flexible restraininglmeans coacting withthe shaft-to steady thestructure while in operation. n

9. In combination, a normally-gyratable body, a shaft centrallylarranged within said body' for actuating `the same and-capable oforbital Vmovement therewith, va lubricantchamber vinto which the`lower'end of said shaft extends. andv over .the bottom of `which it isadapted to move, a lid 'for said .lubricant-chamber .loosely-embracingthe shaft but adapted to move orbitallytherwith, and yielding`frestraining means lcoacting with vsaid lid to, hold the bodyv fromabnormal movement. w10. In combination, a structure, means whereby thesame `is yieldinglysupported, a

vgyrator for4 said. structure, a Siiexible restraining :memberoperatively-connected to the structure :to hold the 'same fromr`abnormal movement,a rotary member' `over which said vflexible member'travels, a rodconnectedto the :free end ofthe flexiblemember, slotted'weights removably placed in `position upon said rod to coperate with theflexible mem- .ber in Isteadying the structure, and `means carried bythe rod for supporting said weights.

11. In combination, a freely-supported structure capable of lateralmovement in any direction, a pulley for actuating said structure capableof lateral movement therewith, an endless member for driving said pulleyand tending to restrain the same from lateral movement, and means havingvertical movement and coacting with said endless member in restrainingthe pulley from lateral movement.

12. In combination, a gyratory structure, a driver therefor capable oforbital movement, an endless member for actuating said driver andtending to restrain the same from orbital movement, means for tensioningsaid endless member, a stationary pulley for actuating said member, anda flexible weighted member cooperating with the endless member intending to restrain the driver from orbital movement.

13. In combination, a gyratory structure, yielding power transmissiondevices for driving the structure and tending to restrain the same fromabnormal gyration; and weighted flexible restraining means coacting withsaid yielding power transmission devices in holding the structure in itstrue gyratory path.

v 14. In combination, a gyratory body, a vertically-positionedeccentrically-weighted shaft therein for actuating the same, aneccentric-pin fixed to said shaft and capable of lateral movement in anydirection, yielding power transmission devices for driving said pin andtending to restrain the same from lateral movement, idlers for guidingand tensioning said power transmission devices, and weighted flexiblerestraining means coacting with the yielding power transmission devicesin steadying the pin from lateral movement while in operation.

15. In combination, a freely-supported structure, a shaft for actuatingthe same, a lubricant chamber into which said shaft eX- tends, andflexible normally stationary means for adjusting said shaft centrallywithin the lubricant chamber.

16. In combination, a normally-gyratable structure, means to drive andsteady the same, and a member coacting with said means to steady thestructure comprising individually-rigid collectively-yielding elements.

17. In combination, a structure, means whereby the same isyieldingly-supported for lateral movement in any direction, a flexiblemember to drive land steady the structure, a sprocket-chain coactingwith said flexible member in steadying the structure, and yieldingresisting means coacting with said sprocket-chain.

18. In combination, a gyratory structure, yielding power transmissiondevices for driving said structure and tending to restrain the same fromabnormal gyration, restraining means including a flexible membercoacting with said power transmission devices, and a rotary member overwhich said iieXible member is adapted to travel.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE W. COMES.

Witnesses:

F. Gr. FISCHER, M. Cox.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing`the "Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0."

